UFC 168 Sold Out for Second Biggest United States Gate in UFC History
The rematch between UFC middleweight champion Chris Weidman and Anderson Silva was expected to be one of the biggest mixed martial arts fights of the year, and UFC president Dana White revealed on Thursday that Saturday’s event is sold out.
“We're so sold out on this fight, it's insane,” said White following the UFC 168 pre-fight press conference at the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. “There are some singles left out there.”
The year-end fight card features two title fights, and is already the second largest gate in the promotion’s history in the United States. Women’s bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey faces Miesha Tate in a rematch in the card’s co-main event.
“I think we're at $6.3 million right now,” said White.
The gate figures surpassed UFC 167, which took place on Nov. 16, as the second biggest gate in the United States for the Las Vegas-based fight promotion.
The largest gate in UFC history was UFC 129, which took place at the Rogers Centre in Toronto on April 30, 2011. The event featured former welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre facing Jake Shields and brought in a staggering $12,075,000 gate.
The biggest gate in the U.S. is UFC 148, which featured Anderson Silva putting his middleweight title on the line against Chael Sonnen for the second time. That event was also held at the MGM Grand Garden Arena and did $6,901,655 in gate receipts.
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